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CEQA/NEPA

ZMassociates is an expert in Federal and California Environmental Impact Analysis, including performing CEQA/NEPA required analysis, studies, and technical report preparation.

ZMassociates has 15 years of experience in writing EIR and EIS reports and performing detailed technical studies. Staff provide the utmost diligence in following guidelines and making sure all data, information, figures, and tables are accurate. We are experts in human health risk assessment for large-scale construction projects and in performing complex detailed research and analysis of air quality criteria pollutant levels, toxic air pollutants, and conformity analysis for fine particulate and carbon monoxide.

ZMassociates staff put much thought and care into writing of CEQA/NEPA documents.  Delivering a quality product every time.

Examples of Recent CEQA/NEPA Work

Project: Sunrise Powerlink Project –CEQA/NEPA EIR/EIS Review and Analysis Regarding Construction Air Emissions and GHG Mitigation Implementation 

ZMassociates staff reviewed this complex and demanding EIR/EIS and recalculated a detailed air study for this massive project. ZMassociates performed complex detailed research for emission factors for a long list of onroad and offroad vehicles to update GHG and criteria pollutant emissions estimates for a large utility project in Southern California.  This included large, medium, and small helicopters, non-conventional construction vehicles, and updated emission factors for offroad engines being upgraded or retrofitted for the project.  ZMassociates easily modeled the update to better reflect specifics of the project as planned, allowing for significant reduction in EIR/EIS calculated emissions.  This detailed work provided documented, defensible, and accurate estimates of the project emissions, putting the client in a position to better negotiate project emission offsets and mitigation measures.

Project:  CEQA/NEPA Documents
Mitigation Measures Ranked by Cost-Effectiveness and Emission Reductions
(subcontractor to Camp, Dresser and McKee and URS Corporation) 

ZMassociates completed an extensive prioritization of emission reduction strategies while preparing air quality and environmental justice portions of the Environmental Impact Report and EIS for the Modernization of Los Angeles International Airport.

ZMassociates completed all construction-related air quality analyses for the EIR and EIS and Supplemental EIR prepared for Los Angeles World Airport’s LAX project.  The project included hundreds of pages of spreadsheet calculations broken out by each day of a 15-year construction buildout.  Off-road engine factors along with SCAQMD CEQA Handbook data was used to complete the analyses.   These calculations include numerous combinations of on-road (i.e. truck and bus) calculations and emissions from off-road engines (ie. generators and construction equipment).

The project also included extensive evaluation of proposed emission reduction technologies including, but not limited to:  new engines, emulsified fuels, low-sulfur diesel fuel and after combustion technologies such as diesel oxidation catalysts and PM filter traps.    ZMassociates reviewed and ranked over 100 mitigation measures as part of this task.  Measures were evaluated on a cost-effectiveness basis; with cost-effectiveness expressed on a cost per ton of diesel PM10 and NOx reduced. 

As part of these reports, ZMassociates prepared draft deliverables consisting of, 1)  a written summary of each suggested measure and the assumptions used to derive each cost estimate;  2)  an Excel spreadsheet outlining the range of potential costs and emission reductions associated with each measure; and 3)  back-up documentation including all references used (i.e. websites, telephone logs, emails from vendors, site visit notes, etc.).   Deliverables were presented in both electronic and hard-copy formats. 

Project:  San Diego International Airport Site Mitigation – CEQA/NEPA document
ZMassociates assisted CDM by providing cost estimates for various air quality mitigation measures.  Measures include diesel reduction technologies such as:  switching to LNG and CNG fueled trucks and vehicles; use of alternative fueled generators and off-peak delivery trips.  ZMassociates reviewed and ranked over 40 mitigation measures as part of this task.  Measures were researched and ranked based on costs. 

Provide Air Quality and GHG Technical Report 

ZMassociates prepared and Air Quality and GHG technical report that presented a screening-level evaluation of anticipated emissions for criteria pollutants as well as GHGs; possible mitigation options; and evaluation of significance under CEQA with and without mitigation incorporated. The report focused on construction-period emissions but included a brief assessment of the potential for operational impacts related to criteria pollutants and GHG. Evaluation methods were consistent with the City of San Diego’s adopted emission factors and modeling protocols. 

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